Duplicating machine



March 4, 1941. MESTRE 2,2 33,895

DUPLIGATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1959 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 r v A. m 1

INVENTOR L U/J N55 TRE ATTORNEY March 4, 1941. MESTRE 2,2 33,895

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 IIIIIIIIIINVENTOR L UAS N55 TRE ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATESDUPLICATIN G MACHINE Luis Mestre, New York, N. Y., assignor to Style'Duplicator Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareApplication August 14, 1939, Serial No. 290,103

6 Claims.

The invention herein described relates to a duplicating machine of therotary type in which a perforated cylinder is employed, which cylinderis adapted to support a stencil sheet on its periphery and including.means for rotating the cylinder to bring the surface of the stencilinto contact with sheets of paper which are successively-fed to thecylinder and between it and a pressure roll.

The invention has for its object to improve the control of the sheets asthey are successively fed to the cylinder and pressure roll and to theaccurate positioning of the sheets transversely of the cylinder.

Among the features by which these objects are attained, may bementioned, the side guides which are not only independently adjustableto provide for sheets of different widths, but both guides may be movedsimultaneously to position the sheets at any desired locationtransversely of the cylinder. The usual rubber faced edge plates whichcontrol the paper as it is fed to the cylinderare in the presentinvention carried by the guides but are independently adjustable by aparallel motion, thereby providing better control of each sheet as it isbeing fed. An end plate enables the sheets to be accurately aligned attheir top edges and while so aligned the entire stack of sheets may bemoved laterally to any desired location. Before the sheets are actuallyfed to the cylinder and pressure roll, the end plate is moved to aposition where it does not interfere with the feeding of the sheets butserves as a means to guide them between the cylinder and pressure roll.Means are also provided for preventing the cylinder from backwardrotation and this preventing means is so related to the sheet feedingmeans that it is operative in any adjusted position of the latter.

The various features and advantages will be better understood by thefollowing detailed description and claims when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the duplicator showing its generalconstruction;

' Figure 2 is a section takenon the line 22 of Figure 1 and looking inthe direction of the arrows; the figure being on a reduced scale;

Figure 3 is a detail of the mechanism for preventing backward rotationof the cylinder;

Figure 4 is a view of a portion of the machine viewed from underneath toshow the connections whereby the side guides are moved;

Figure 5 is a part sectional, part elevational view showing how therubber faced edge plates are adjustable;

Figure 6 is a view of the same parts, but from a different viewpoint;

Figure 7 is a detail showing the adjustment for the feed; and

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2, the operative parts of themachine are supported by side frames each of which comprises a basemember 2 having a fiat upper face 4 and sloping side faces 5. Horizontaland vertical cross members 6 and 1 give the required rigidity to theframe and the two frames are tied together by a U- shaped bar 8, aportion of which is shown in Figure '1. Supported by the side frames isa shaft 9 carrying a perforated stencil cylinder I0 adapted to berotated by a handle H secured to its right hand end as shown inFigure 1. A pressure roller I2 carries end bearings l3, Figure 4, whichbearings seat in notches in side plates it, one of which plates is shownin Figure 2, the other plate being on the opposite side of the machineand being of like construction. The frame formed by these side platespivots about a shaft I6, which shaft is fastened to the frame. The endof the shaft adjacent the right hand frame plate M, as viewed in Figure2, is provided with an arm l8 to which is attached one end of a spring20. The other end of the spring is connected to a member 2| supported ina bracket 22 projecting from the right hand side frame 5 and a knurledknob 23 enables the tension of the spring 20 to be varied therebyholding the pressure roller against the surface of the cylinder with thedesired degree of pressure.

It is to be understood that the frame comprising the side pieces [4,shaft l6 .and arm is, pivots about the point Hi. When it is desired torelease the pressure roller from the cylinder, a knob 24, Figure 1secured to shaft 25, Figure 2, is turned in'a direction to cause the cammember 26 secured to shaft to be moved to a vertical position at whichtime it engages the frame and moves it down so that the pressure rollerI 2 is disengaged from the cylinder. A stop 28 normally limits themovement of the frame under tension of the spring 20 and this stop maybe adjusted.

For supporting the sheets of paper to be fed to the cylinder andpressure roll, a sheet delivery tray indicated generally by thereference character 30 is provided. Transverse slots 32 serve asguideways for the side guides 33 for aligning the sheets along theirside edges.

for the top edges of the sheets. The position of the plate 34, as shownin Figure 2, is the position to which it has been moved when it isdesired to feed the sheets to the cylinder, but when the shaft 34 isrocked, as it may be through manipulation of the knob 38, Figure 1, theplate 34 is moved to a vertical position and the sheets are stackedagainst it.

The guides 33 are adjustable laterally to accommodate sheets ofdifferent widths and for this purpose levers 38 and 38 are provided.These levers are pivoted at 48 to the base of the machine as shown inFigure 4. Each lever is slotted near its upper end as shown inconnection with the lever 38, the lever 38 being broken away at itsupper part. A screw 4| passes loosely through each slot and into a block42, each block being secured to a guide 33. The arm 39 is provided witha projecting lug 44 which is interiorly threaded for engagement with ascrew thread 45 formed on a sleeve supported at 48 and by the side wallof the casing through which it passes. Its end is provided with a knob48 by which the screw 45 may be rotated.

The arm 38 is likewise provided with a lug 44 with which engages a screw48. The shank of this screw passes through the sleeve upon which thethreads 45 are cut and it is also supported midway of its length at 50.The right hand end of the shank of the screw 48 is provided with a knob52 by which the screw may be turned. The blocks 42 are each secured toone of the guides 33, therefore, when either of the knobs 48 or 52 knobs48' and 52, however, are not only concen-' trically mounted, but are soclose together and are of such diameter that both may conveniently bemanipulated together. Under these circumstances, therefore, the guides33 will move as one and therefore move the sheets located between themto any position transversely of the cylinder. This feature makes itpossible to change the width of the margin on the printed sheets withconvenience and accuracy, since the sheets are aligned by the guides 33and at the same time the aligning plate 34 serves to align the ends ofthe sheets. After the stack of sheets are ready to be fed, the plate 34is moved to the position shown in Figure 2 and serves as a means toguide the sheets between the cylinder and pressure roll. Springs 53 maybe provided to take up any lost motion of the screw threads.

The sheets are fed one at a time by feed rollers 54 carried by a frame55 which is connected by an arm 55 to'another frame 5'l having side arm58 pivoted at 68, Figure 2.

The frame 51 is rocked about the pivot 88 by a mechanism which willimmediately be described, but before doing so its is desirable to pointout that the feed rollers 54 are connected to their shaft by a one wayclutch of any known construction whereby the rollers roll over the sheetwith ease during the backward or nonfeeding movement of the frame 51 butdo not rotate on their axis when moved in the feeding direction. Therollers 54 being rubber faced, at this time exert sufllcient friction onthe sheet to feed it to the cylinder. This construction of the feedrollers in connection with the plate 34 permits the backward movement ofthe feeding frame and rollers 54 without disturbing the align- A plate34 piv--- oted at 35, Figure 2, serves as an aligning plate side of themachine, as viewed in Figure 2, there is a link 82 connected at "to theright hand arm 58. The other end of thelink 82 is connected to avertical link 64 pivoted at to a lug extending from cross member I,Figure 2. In order to vibrate the frame 51 to cause the sheets of paperto be successively fed to the cylinder, the link 84 is provided with aroller 88 engaging a circular groove in an eccentric l8. A plate I8 isconnected to the eccentric, which plate is provided with an arcuate slot'I-l adapted to beengaged by a pin 12 carried by the cylinder. asclearly shown in Figures 7 and 8. A winged nut 14 engages the end of thescrew 12, to secure the plate 18 in any position of adjustment permittedby the slot II to thereby vary the throw of the link 84 by the eccentric58. I c

To prevent the cylinder ID from rotating backwardly to any harmfulextent, the shaft 8 has secured to it a grooved roller 18, Figure 8. Apawl 18 pivoted at 18 to cross member 8 is adapted to engage the groovein the roller 18.

Referring now to Figure 3, the handle, as

1 viewed in this figure, is adapted to be rotated in a clockwisedirection. When so moved, the pawl 18 offers substantially no resistanceto such movement. If, however, attempt is made to rotate the handle inreverse direction, then due to the action of the spring 88, the pawlwould tend to movein a clockwise direction, Figure 3, but its length issuch that it then tends to jam in the notch in the roller'lB and preventany substantial backward movement of the handle.

It is to be observed that the action of the pawl I8 will preventbackward rotation of the handle with any adjustment of the plate 10 sothat the feeding of the paper may start at different places during therotation of the handle'but the backward rotation is prevented regardlessof the adjustment of the feed.

The side guides for the paper 33 are supplemented by rubber faced edgeplates 82, Figures 5 and 6. While edge plates of this sort haveheretofore been proposed, all of these as far as I am aware, are eitherseparate from the guides 33 or if attached to them, they have beenpivoted so that they move in an are when adjusted. This method ofmounting the edge plates is not desirable because the rubber does notbear equally throughout its length against the edge of asheet of paperas it is fedv to the machine. I propose to mount these rubber faced edgeplates so that they are always adjusted in parallelism and to this endthe guides 33 are cut away and a housing 84, Figures 5 and 6 permitssufllcient movement of the plates 82 to give the necessary pressureagainst the side edges of the sheets as they are fed. The housing 84 iscentrally bored and slotted and a screw 85 secured to each plate 82,passes through a collar 86 which is interiorly screw-threaded. 'Aknurled knob 88 serves to rotate the collar 88 and thereby move theplate 82 it having been fully described and claimed in my applicationiiled of even date herewith.

What I claim is:

1. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a stencil cylinder anda pressure roll; of a sheet delivery tray from which sheets are fed tothe cylinder and roll, side guides for aligning the sheets, a rubberfaced edge plate mounted on each guide, means for moving said edgeplates relatively to said guides and parallel to each other to differentdegrees to effect fine adjustment between said guides and plates, andmeans located at one side of the machine for moving both guides and edgeplates together transversely of the tray while maintaining the relativefine adjustment of the guides and edge plates.

2. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a stencil cylinder anda pressure roll; of a sheet delivery tray from which sheets are fed tothe cylinder and roll, side guides for aligning the shees, means formoving each guide transversely of the tray independently of the otherguide. said hand of the operator to thereby move both guidessimultaneously to the same degree.

3. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a stencil cylinder anda pressure roll; of a. sheet delivery tray from which sheets are fed tothe cylinder and roll, side guides for aligning the sheets, meansincluding a screw one for each guide for moving a guide transversely ofthe trays independently of the other guide, one of said screws beinghoused within the other, and means located at one side of the machinefor moving both screws.

4. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a casing and a stencilcylinder supported thereby; of a sheet delivery tray from which sheetsare fed to the cylinder, side guides I01 aligning the sheets, meansincluding a screw one for each guide for moving said guide transverselyof the tray independently of the other guide, one of said screws beinghoused within the other screw and both screws having their endsextending outside of the machine casing, a knob connected to the end ofeach screw, said knobs being of diflerent sizes and spaces closelytogether whereby each knob may separately be manipulated or bothmanipulated together by one hand of the operator.

5 In a duplication machine, the combination with a stencil cylinder anda pressure roll; of a sheet delivery tray from which sheets are fed tothe cylinder and roll, side guides for aligning the sheets, said guideshaving a cut-out portion intermediate their ends, a housing secured toeach guide and bridging said cut-out portion, the outer wall of saidhousing being parallel to the guide to which the housing is secured, arubber faced edge plate mounted in each housing and means cooperatingwith each housing for moving each edge plate relatively to said guidesand parallel to each other to different degrees to effect fineadjustment between said guides and plates.

6. In a duplication machine having a printing cylinder and a pressureroll; a sheet delivery tray from which sheets are fed to the cylinderand roll, side guides for aligning the sheets, said guides having acut-out portion intermediate their ends, a housing secured to each guideand bridging said cut-out portion, the outer wall of said housing beingparallel to the guide to which the housing is secured, a rubber facededge plate mounted in each housing and means cooperating with eachhousing for moving each edge plate relatively to said guides andparallel to each other to different degrees to effect fine adjustmentbetween said guides and plates.

LUIS MIESTRE.

